Website Conversion Killers: The Basics

Whether you are selling products online or trying to build your industry authority by building an email list, your conversion rates – the number of visitors doing what you want them to – are a good indicator of how well you are doing. However, for the vast majority of websites, there is a lot of room for improvement. Stopping people from leaving a site without taking action is an enormous problem in the online world, and if you are suffering from low conversion rates, you are not alone.

Hits to your conversion rates come in many different forms, so the first step towards making improvements lies with understanding some of the common issues. So, if your conversion is languishing and you are struggling to convince your customers to buy something or sign up, read on. We’re going to explain some of the biggest conversion killers that occur and explore a few ideas about how to fix them.

First and foremost, how easy is it for your customers to navigate through your site? Is there an easy pathway for them to land on our site, find what they are looking for, and pay for your products quickly? Or are there many roadblocks and complicated issues that stand in the way? The first step is to ensure your website is properly laid out – perhaps using something like a Z- or F-shaped pattern. Consumers are getting used to site standards these days, and too much deviation from the norm can be dangerous for your conversion rates. Also, make sure your site has visual cues for your customer. For example, if you could redesign your web pages, so they act like a fluid funnel – darkening out areas to reduce visual noise and keeping things clean – you can walk them through what you want them to do, and enjoy better conversion rates.

Untrustworthy security

It’s taken a reasonable amount of time for consumers to start feeling comfortable with buying online. But there is still an innate fear about handing over financial details to a website whose owner they don’t know or trust. It is vital to ensure your website is doing all it can to protect your customer’s details when making payments – and you also need to make it clear to them. Shout loud about your high levels of security, and include visual clues – SSL certification, for example – to prevent risk-averse customers from checking out. Doing this simple act will have a significant impact on your conversions – some companies report an increase in conversions of up to 5% just by including a security badge on their site.

When people find something of interest, they want to access it as fast as possible – buying a product or signing up for a free ebook, for example. Those people don’t want to spend half an hour filling in forms that ask them everything about them and their lives. Keep things as simple as possible, instead. A complex checkout process is one of the top reasons for shopping cart abandonment. Customers want to find what they want, pay for it, and leave as fast as possible – much like they do in a real world store. So, removing those roadblocks will stop the from leaving your site in frustration, and will improve your conversion rates by a significant amount.

Inconsistent messaging

As we keep on saying, people don’t necessarily want to spend hours on your site – they want to find what they are looking for and get what they need. The vast majority of people are always in a hurry when they are online, and they don’t have time to spend thinking deeply about your messaging. So, again, keep things simple. Ensure your brand messaging is clear and consistent all through your site, from one page to the next. And don’t forget about the ads you are using to entice people to your site – keep the message the same on those, too.

Lack of social proof

Social proof is one of those things we all look for before making a buying decision or deciding we trust a business. It is vital to be credible, and if people are doubting your credentials, you can bet your conversion rates are taking a hit, too. So, think of ways you can present social proof of the validity and credibility of your business. Testimonials are a good starting point, although avoid using anonymous quotations – people prefer to put faces and names to the words you use. Case studies are another great idea – they can show your audience how you work, and show off your skills and abilities to give your customers the results they are looking for. It’s also a good idea to encourage previous, happy customers to write reviews on your business. More people than ever will read reviews – either on directory sites or social media – before deciding to make a purchase. Social proof shows your industry authority and encourages people to trust your business. The result is a vast improvement in your conversion rates.

Limited payment options

Online consumers demand choice – not just in products, but also the way they pay for them. Debit and credit cards are a good starting point, of course, but the ecommerce industry is starting to see many other alternatives becoming the norm. Services like PayPal and Amazon Payments are increasingly important, and, depending on your market, you might even enjoy some success by offering customers the chance to use cryptocurrency payment methods. It’s a lot of hard work to get a website primed for making sales. But all of that hard work will go to waste if, when push comes to shove, your visitors leave just because they can’t pay with their preferred method.

PK, so there you have it – some of the biggest conversion killers you will find on your website. Fixing these issues and focusing on giving your customer a smooth, efficient experience will benefit you in many ways,. Not only will your conversion rates improve, but you will also stop leaking customers to the competition. Good luck!